Effect of pressure-relief ducts on traction demand in a tunnel: a numerical evaluation

Abstract

High-speed trains are one of the most desirable and environmentally friendly transportation modes, and high-speed rail has been widely implemented in European and Asian countries in order to transport vast quantities of people and commodities rapidly. However, when a high-speed train enters a tunnel, aerodynamic resistance is generated suddenly, which results in higher traction power demand for trains operating in tunnels. It is essential to incorporate pressure-relief systems in tunnels to reduce the aerodynamic resistance caused by passage of a high-speed train. Pressure-relief ducts and vertical shafts are the most commonly used pressure-relief measures in tunnels. The effect of pressure-relief ducts to alleviate the aerodynamic resistance and reduce traction power demand of high-speed trains was thus investigated by means of one-dimensional numerical simulations of various case studies.